*All the characters from The Mortal Instruments belong to Cassandra Clare and her incredible mind. Nothing will ever be owned by the author of this story. ;)*
Musical Preference:
Left Hand Free- alt-J
The Love Club- Lorde
Trojans- Atlas Genius
Yellow- Coldplay
I hope you guys like it because I'm so so so sorry for everything enjoy
The dress was beautiful.
It was a delicate off-white covered in lace and embroidered material that gathered around the hips, accentuating them. The sensible heart-shaped front dropped low on the back, waist high. The skirt billowed with a reasonably sized train.
She looked like a princess. Absolutely stunning.
"That's the one," she said.
Isabelle turned around, her hair contrasting brightly with the dress as she gathered the skirts and looked at herself on every single mirror in every single angle. "I know."
Simon had finally asked her to be his wife officially, supposedly on a rainy morning, and Isabelle had jumped up and down and freaked out about it, immediately breaking out in conversation about what colors they were going to use (shades of blue and purple,) who the best man was going to be (Alec,) and the bridesmaid (Clary,) and if they would serve fish, steak, or chicken (steak,) and what they would dance to (The Way You Look Tonight.)
Not being religious, Isabelle told Simon that she'd convert to Judaism for him. (That won over Mrs. Lewis, who was against the marriage at the beginning.)
Simon, as Isabelle told, was as calm as one could be. Clary hadn't told Isabelle that he'd called her that night and basically fangirled to her about the engagement. It was adorable if they'd asked her. Simon didn't think so, though, so she had to keep the phone call to herself.
How's dress shopping? And tell Isabelle I love her. –Simon
"Clary, I think you should wear the rosy-magenta-purple-ish dress. The rest should be the blues," Isabelle said absentmindedly, still staring at herself inspecting the dress that she'd wear in roughly two months. They'd been looking for dresses for months and had been hoping they'd finally find the dress today.
She looked up from her phone rolling her eyes. "Sure, that's a nice color. And Si says he loves you." Clary could feel more than see the hearts on Isabelle's eyes.
"Tell him to stop being a dork and let the girls shop," she said trying to sound annoyed. "But that I love him too all the same." Isabelle's smile was radiant and Clary almost envied her for how happy she was, but if she did, it never lasted long because it was Isabelle, and if anyone deserved to be happy, it was her.
There's a lot of dresses. And she says she loves you too. Stop clogging up my phone with all this love eugh. –Clary
"How's everything? Do you need to see another dress¾oh," the attendant, Lucy, who had been helping them all along stopped as she looked at Isabelle in the dress. "Please tell me that's the one," she almost whispered.
Isabelle laughed as she looked at herself, flatting her hands against her sides. "This is the one."
Almost squealing, Lucy skipped over to check the hem of the dress or whatever that dress attendants were supposed to do. And while all that was interesting and stuff, Clary couldn't take her eyes away from Isabelle's radiance. Her life was falling into place just like pieces of a puzzle, and she showed it through her bright eyes and smile. It was a bit opposite to Clary's. She just really didn't know what she was expecting to happen in her life any more than she knew what she was going to eat for breakfast the next morning.
Half an hour later of more squealing and happiness and sunshine from Lucy, Isabelle and Clary were leaving the shop with a nice buzz from the champagne that they were given while Isabelle signed the payment of her dress. For the first time in the three hours they were in there, Clary began thinking that of conspiracy theories as to why they would give clients champagne.
"It's to make the client vulnerable and more prone to buying a dress," Isabelle answered her question over lunch at the small plaza close to her and Simon's apartment.
"Then you played right into their game," Clary almost asked as she took a bite of her sandwich. Isabelle shook her head, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"No, because I found the dress I wanted. It's for brides that are indecisive so they just let their money loose." That made sense as Isabelle was everything but indecisive. She knew what she wanted in her life and maybe that was one of the things that Clary envied of her.
"Anyways," Isabelle went on, breaking Clary's thought process, "how has it been?"
It was an innocent enough question, but Clary knew exactly what Isabelle wanted to know. "Oh, we're doing just fine. Matt is such a nice guy and we get along alright. Everything is just fine." Isabelle rolled her eyes and put her sandwich down. Her elbows rested on the table as she leaned closer trying to intimidate Clary, but nope. Not this time.
It wouldn't happen.
"Clary, you and I both know that is not what I want to know. I've heard a billion times about how nice and sweet Matty darling is, but to be honest, I know that it is not what you want. What's going on with Jace?"
Or it would.
"I don't know what to do," she sighed finally, sitting back and letting her sandwich lie forgotten on the table. Isabelle kept staring, just waiting for Clary to explain herself. "I don't trust him. I can't trust him. How am I supposed to be with someone whom I don't trust?"
"Well, that's a problem," was all Isabelle said as she went back to eating.
Clary stared at her in confusion. "That's it? I know it's a problem."
"I don't know what you want me to tell you, Clary. I don't have the answers to all your problems and probably never will. All I can tell you is that you will never find someone that fits you quite as well as Jace did." And that was the end to that conversation.
Later that night, Clary couldn't stop thinking of what Isabelle had told her. She knew that Jace was perfect for her, but it didn't change the fact that he cheated on her. Or cheated with her, which wasn't any better.
It was going against everything she believed in if she just forgave him. Just like she couldn't forgive her uncle for his gross acts, she couldn't forgive Jace just because she still loved him. He had done exactly what her uncle had done his whole life and just that thought made Clary want to throw up.
It was hard. Clary fought with herself day and night just thinking about what Jace had done to her and comparing it to his actions. Everyone did say that "actions speak louder than words," but a man capable of cheating was a man capable of deceiving therefore capable of using his actions to achieve the ultimate goal; to get some ass.
More often than not, Clary found herself thinking back on how she used to be, back when she still trusted easily. It had been a rough transition, but she was getting better at it ever since her incident with Jace.
They've both realized the strong connection they had couldn't just be ignored and come to the mutual agreement that they would try for a friendship. Clary wasn't sure they could be anything else because that would go against everything she ever believed in, and she wasn't about ready to also betray herself.
"It's just difficult, okay?" Clary sighed, "In the circumstances at the moment, it's not gonna happen."
Isabelle stared at Clary hard for a few seconds before going back to her food. "You always do that."
"What is that?" Clary asked, getting slightly offensive without meaning to.
"You find excuses to not do what you really want to," the other rolled her eyes. "He made one mistake, Clary. Yeah, it may have been a huge mistake but he has been making it up. I, in no way, support what he did but . . ." she trailed off, waving her hand before looking back down to her food.
She stared at Isabelle for a bit, processing what she had said. "Wait," she asked quickly. "How has he been making it up?"
Isabelle frowned at her. "Seriously? He's been slowly becoming your friend trying to make you happy and if you add his recent visits to our apartment—"
"He's been going over to yours?" Clary asked, surprised.
"Yeah, you weren't supposed to know but whatever," she rolled her eyes, "Jace has been coming over to talk to Simon about anything to be honest, but mostly about you and ways that he could make it up to you." She sighed, "Clary, he's really trying and I know you can't forgive what he did but, have you ever stopped to think about what if he is truly the one for you and you guys met in the worst possible timing?"
Clary had to admit that she'd had that thought before but never actually entertained it for too much. She hadn't thought, though, about there ever being any timing issues, always believing that the right man had to come in at the right time and in the right ways. To her, it had felt that way, but it had turned out to be a lie. It had made her question everything in life, including herself and her ability to perceive bad things around her, which she had always been good at.
"Could that really be possible?" she asked her best friend with a frown.
The other shrugged. "I stopped questioning possibility and probability back in third grade."
"Wow," Clary rolled her eyes with a smile. "How clever."
Isabelle smirked slowly. "I know."
w.^.w
"Stop that. Can't you ever just pay attention to me?" Jace pouted mockingly while Simon shook his head with a smile before pocketing his phone.
They were at a small coffee shop just a few blocks away from Simon's apartment. They had started coming here at least twice a week. They were coming so much that the barista knew their orders. Jace had to admit that he never expected Simon to ever treat him regularly after what went down, but after Jace kept coming to him for advice there was no way they weren't going to develop their friendship again. Jace even dared to say that they were closer now than before.
"I do pay attention to you. More than I should," he laughed. "I just had to check on my future wife. You know, see if she hasn't changed her mind."
It was Jace's turn to roll his eyes. "You're kidding, right? You have the relationship I envy."
"Wow," Simon looked shocked as he sat up. "That's a weird thing to envy. You want to spend a billion dollars on one day just to be legally bound to one person for the rest of your life?"
The playful conversation turned very serious with the question. "That's exactly what I want." He started running his hand through his hair. "But if that ever happens I doubt it will be with the one person I want."
"You don't know that," Simon answered leaning forward. "Being completely honest, when you came for advice I thought that even with the best advice that only I could give you could never get Clary back, but you have the right intentions and although what you did was stupid as fuck, you and Clary are made for each other."
Jace smiled sadly. "I appreciate that but saying it won't change a thing unless Clary can ever forgive me for the pain I caused her."
"But you guys are sort of starting over aren't you? As friends?"
"Yes, but it's difficult because she is obviously extremely wary around me and she doesn't joke around anymore and it all seems forced but I still feel the same pull that I used to before. As much as I'd like to leave her life so she can find someone who will treat her the way I didn't, I can't. I'm too selfish."
Simon took his glasses off and started cleaning them with his shirt, sitting back in his chair. "Let me tell you one thing; if Clary really wanted you out of her life, you wouldn't even be talking to me right now. I know my friend. She feels either as or even more conflicted than you."
"Okay, sure. And what about the guy she's dating? Mart? Memphis?" he asked rolling his eyes.
"Matt. I don't think it's going too well. I sort of asked Clary about it and she sorta shrugged and said 'eh,' so—Memphis?" Simon asked incredulously. "Really?"
Jace shrugged. "I knew it was with an M." He frowned. "But, really? Not good?"
"Nah, man. You probably ruined everyone for her," Simon said and they both chuckled.
"It gives me some kind of sick satisfaction hearing that." Jace smiled.
"You're disgusting but I'm rooting for you guys getting your shit together so I can stop hearing all your sob stories."
Jace laughed. "It's great how you think my sob stories will miraculously end if I get back together with Clary. I haven't even told you all my daddy issues!"
"I'm hoping that when you two get together you'll have Clary to hear all your wonderful childhood stories." Simon said emphasizing the when. It had become a little exercise to make Jace more positive towards any kind of relationship with Clary in the future.
He nodded. "Our friendship won't end when I get back with Clary. I'll still need advice on how not to fuck it up."
Rolling his eyes, Simon replied through a sigh. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
w.^.w
Between the planning of the wedding and the original stress of life, the two months remaining for the wedding were over and Clary found herself in the same room as a very nervous groom who couldn't seem to stop pacing.
"Will you stop that? I don't even know why you're so worried. Isabelle loves the crap out of you. It would be crazy if she were to back out right now!" she said trying to grab her best friend.
"Wow, that makes me feel better. Like, lots," Simon replied rolling his eyes before sitting down on an arm chair. "It's just, this is it, you know?"
"It's not like anything is going to change. It's still just Isabelle and you, except now you guys will carry rings on your fingers, right?" she told him rationally.
The door opened next to where Clary was sitting before Simon could reply. Jace walked in fast and directly towards Simon, seemingly missing that Clary was in the room. Their friendship was still in progress but that didn't impede Clary from admiring how good Jace looked in his navy suit. It's probably custom-made, she thought dreamily.
He kneeled next to Simon's chair. "Hey, we doing alright? You're not freaking out too much?"
After Clary found out about Simon and Jace talking, she found it weird but had never actually seen them hanging out together. Seeing Jace helping Simon, basically doing her job made her heart start doing flips for some reason. No, not just some reason, she told herself. You've been growing fond of him and this isn't helping.
"No, I'm freaking out a hell of a lot. Did Isabelle send you?" Simon asked him, not making Clary's presence known after she made lots of gestures for him to keep quiet.
"Yeah, she knew that you might be losing it. But, dude," Jace continued, "it's okay. She loves you a hell of a lot, and you love her too. Just think about how happy you'll be when you're finally married to the girl of your dreams. You'll see her in a few and you'll know everything will be alright. Just like it should be."
Simon laughed. "Is that what you told yourself the last two times?" And ouch. It may have happened almost a year ago but the reminder of Jace's marriages still hurt.
She could see Jace's shoulders tense before relaxing quickly. "Ha-ha. Hilarious." He stood up and clasped Simon's shoulder. "But no, I didn't. I think that subconsciously I knew that they weren't the one. Or I found out when I first fell for Clary."
Clary gasped unintentionally, standing up once Jace spun around finally realizing she'd been there all along. She finally got a good look at him. The way his pants hugged his waist, how the lapels pressed down into his chest and his gold tie brought out the brighter parts of his eyes, and how his hair was styled perfectly and looked in between just woke up and I sorta tried.
"Well, I should go check on Isabelle," Clary finally said edging closer to the door. "She must need me. I'll see you guys . . . out . . . there?" and ran out of the room. Once she had turned the corner she stopped to process hearing that Jace thought she was the one? Was that really what he meant or was she only reading more into what was really there.
"Isabelle, I need to tell—" she started walking into the room, stopping once she got a look at her. "Woah, dude, you look so beautiful." She was wearing her dress but now her hair was up in an elaborate bun and her makeup was helping her eyes pop out. If that wasn't enough, her smile was radiant. She was ready and Simon was extremely lucky to be marrying her.
"Oh, thank you, you don't look too bad yourself" she winked before looking back at herself in the mirror. "Can you help me get the veil on?" she asked holding out the item.
"Yeah, here, sit," she commanded and proceeded to carefully putting it on. Clary didn't want to mess up her hair. "There you go. Now you're more than ready."
Isabelle laughed. "I really think I am. What were you going to tell me?"
Clary looked at Isabelle through the mirror and shook her head. "It's not important right now. Come on, let's get you a husband."
w.^.w
Once they were getting ready to walk down the aisle, Clary forgot how Isabelle had thought it would be funny to make Jace and Clary a couple since he'd become such a good friend of Simon's and was therefore the Best Man. Her and Jace were first, then Magnus and Alec, and the rest of the couples. Isabelle had also thought it'd be hilarious to make Alec stand on her side next to the rest of the bridesmaids. Alec had tried to object but after a while decided he really didn't care.
All of that meant that Jace would be coming soon to stand next to her and she was hoping she wouldn't accidentally make things awkward as she usually does.
She was wringing her hands together waiting when she felt more than noticed his presence.
"I didn't get to tell you how beautiful you look earlier," he said quietly close to her ear. She finally looked at him and almost regretted it since he was staring at her intensely.
"Thank you," she said. "You don't look so bad yourself." He smirked and looked forward, finally breaking eye contact. "I forget you have to wear that hat on your head."
"It was part of the deal," he muttered and it made Clary sigh a small laugh. Looking at him sideways she saw him smiling down at her. She made herself not look and just smiled.
Suddenly the music started and it was only seconds before they had to start walking. "I wasn't lying," he rushed out.
"What?" she frowned at him.
He looked at her, his face suddenly very serious. "In Simon's room." They started walking and he broke eye contact. "About how you are the only one for me." He looked back at her, "I wasn't lying."
Clary tried to formulate a response while they walked but her brain was going 200mph and she was confused and happy and nervous and elated and scared.
Before she could even respond, they had reached the altar and had to go separate ways.
The wedding was cute, intimate, and full of tears and both the bride and groom had stars in their eyes as they looked at each other. Clary should've counted the seconds they weren't looking at each other. She guessed maybe sixteen.
Almost too soon it was over and Isabelle and Simon were kissing for the first time as husband and wife. She had been avoiding looking at Jace through all the ceremony, but she looked at him then only to find him staring at her already. There was warmth in his gaze and Clary was almost feeling embarrassed for the blubbering mess that she was. Weddings tended to make her emotional.
They started walking down the aisle again, Jace by her side but this time silent while everyone around clapped at the couple in front of them.
w.^.w
The reception was something out of a dream with blue hues illuminating the room. Everything was just right. There weren't too many or not enough decorations. It showed the amount of thought that Isabelle put into the event. Everyone was chatting while they waited for the entrance to begin.
They were finally announced and they walked to the middle of the dance floor, hand in hand and waited for the music to begin. They both had decided to scratch their previous plan of playing "The Way You Look Tonight" and went for "Linger" by The Cranberries after they watched Click again. They could've danced to whatever as long as they stared at each other the way they had been the whole day.
The music started and everyone was staring at them and celebrating their love. Jace found the whole thing adorable as fuck, but he wasn't about to start crying. He spotted Clary a few ways away from him with tears in her eyes as she watched her best friends, madly in love, sharing their first dance.
She looked beautiful in her strapless purple dress that flowed around her as she walked and hugged her waist. It reminded him of the first time he saw her at the art gallery in the dark purple dress. Her hair was half up and she looked radiant and happy and Jace was so completely in love with her.
Everyone started applauding around him and he realized Isabelle and Simon were done dancing and the party was finally starting. He took a seat and just watched as everyone either took to the dance floor or to congratulate the newlyweds.
"Isn't it kinda gross?" he heard from beside him as Clary took a seat. She was looking at Isabelle and Simon.
Jace stared at her with contempt and a small smile. "I don't think you believe that, I've seen you in the verge of tears at least five times."
"Those were obviously for a different reason," she informed him.
"Really? Enlighten me," he replied, watching her squirm as she looked for an answer.
"It's a secret," she finally said and then frowned. "I'm sorry I think my mom is waving at me." She stood up and looked back at Jace. "See you later, Blondie.
"Bye, Ginger," he replied and watched her flash him a grin before leaving.
Just a few seconds later someone sat at the other side of him while he kept staring at Clary. "Here's what I think," Isabelle began as she started changing her high heels to some flats. "I think that you should ask Clary to dance, hold her close, and just cut to the chase. You two are obviously flirting with each other and it's obvious you both want the same thing, but you're both so stubborn and it's never going to get better unless you take the chance, yeah?"
"You've been married for three hours and you're already bossing everyone around," he told her with a smile.
She laughed and stood up, "I've always bossed everyone around, this is not new." She leaned on him to fix her dress, "so? What are you waiting for?" Squeezing his shoulder, she smiled and left to go find Simon. Jace stood up and went to find Clary because if he didn't obey Isabelle she would come back at least a tad bit pissed off.
Jace found her at the bar getting a drink. He put a hand on the small of her back and got close to her ear, "can I have this dance?"
She turned quickly, nodding and downing her drink once she saw who it was. He took a leap and grabbed her hand once she started following him. He was expecting her to take it out or to yell at him, but she just squeezed his hand in return.
It wasn't planned of anything, but as they got to the dance floor a slow song started. Jace shrugged at Clary pulled her close. She was looking up at him with narrowed eyes.
"You paid the DJ," she accused.
"I'm hurt! How could you say that?" he answered sarcastically.
She rolled her eyes with a smile. "Whatever, I'll pretend you didn't plan this."
"Clary, being completely serious, I didn't. This is just a sign," he said staring into her eyes.
"A sign that we should be together, you mean?" she asked, suddenly getting very serious.
He pulled her closer to him, resting his forehead on hers, and closed his eyes, trying to not lose her now, now that he had come so close. "I'm not going to tell you that yes, we should be together because I know I hurt you. I know that what I did was fucked up and immoral and after all that you deserve something better.
"But I am selfish, Clary. I do want you to myself. And although I don't deserve it, here I am begging you to take me back while this Coldplay song is playing and I have you in my arms. You know why? Because I love you. I love every part of you, Clary. I even love the parts that hate me and I hope that, even with those parts, you can love me back," he finished and opened his eyes.
Clary was already staring at him with tears streaming down her face. Her hands that had been on her shoulders moved slowly to his neck and to his jaw, where she caressed him slowly. "Jace, I've been battling with myself over this for months because it goes against everything I believe in to go back to you, but I can't deny myself the feelings I have when I'm with you, or the way your touch makes me feel things that I didn't even know were possible. And I love you, Jace. I love you so much."
That was all Jace needed before he closed the centimeters between them and kissed her. It was tender and loving but at the same time there was an underlying intensity reminding them that it'd been too long since they'd touched each other that way. Jace pulled apart quick before they got carried away because as much as he wanted Clary, he didn't want to mess it up.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly and Clary frowned.
"For?"
"I realized I never apologized for what happened. I never just said sorry. I'm just sorry for everything and I want to promise you that I will do anything to keep me from hurting you like that again." He felt it was necessary. She had the right to back out any time she wanted, but he was hoping that if that was the case, that at least she'd do it right now.
Clary smiled and kissed him slowly. "I believe you. And I love you."
Jace grinned back, feeling lighter and better than he had in a while. "I love you, too."
Alright so that was that, basically.
I just want to apologize so profusely for like the year and a half of waiting. I cannot believe I didn't finish this story in all that time. Well an update on my life; I'm obviously very much alive, I finished high school, I'm going to college, blah blah blah. I'm going into computer science engineering so that should be fun, right?
I love all of you so very much because if you're reading this it means that you waiting for me this whole time and i cannot thank you enough or ask for better readers and I most definitely do not deserve you. You guys are all just so amazing.
Lots of you emailed me asking me for an update and I didn't answer because I was just so ashamed that I couldn't respond back so I'm very sorry about that.
Last, but not least, you can thank one of my bffs Camille for this chapter as she basically asked me to finish this by her birthday which I still failed because that was like almost a month ago. Anyways, here it is Cams. Happy Birthday to you! She should be up any time now for school.
Alright, guys. This was most definitely a journey and this is the end. I'm not sure about an epilogue but I don't know if you guys want it I guess I could try and give it to you guys. Hopefully before next summer lol.
Although I totally don't deserve it, I'm still hoping you can
Review?